PistolPeteJR wrote:tsherkin wrote:PistolPeteJR wrote:
The disappointment is multi-faceted:
1) They just came off a WCF trip with the same roster and are struggling to win games because the supporting cast in general has taken a few steps back.
2) LeBron and AD have been very healthy thus far and despite that, the team is struggling.
3) Their biggest FA acquisition in Gabe Vincent that's supposed to be a starter and their dedicated POA defender hasn't played a lick basically.
4) Reaves especially is supposed to have taken a stride or two forward and instead of finally starting to resemble his form from last year on offense, but is even worse on defense.
They were barely above .500 last year (43 wins) and turned it up in the playoffs. So they really aren't THAT different. And yeah, Reaves hasn't taken The Leap. And of course Hachimura is not shooting 49% from 3. They haven't improved on D. They don't have better guard play.
What were people really expecting, apart from praying that Reaves would get it going?
They were also expecting Rui to not necessarily shoot 49% from deep, but to take a leap still given he no supposedly worked out with LeBron a significant amount in the summer etc. They also weren't expecting Vando to have taken a step or two in the wrong direction, and for Hayes to have been absolutely unplayable from day 1.
The "turning it up" in the playoffs for them started early last year when they made a run to make the play-in. That's what people are looking for, that team. They played that way for the IST games, but outside of that and a sprinkling of other RS games, no bueno.
This highlights the bulk of my annoyance with Pelinka ( just this year not even going back ). Outside of the picking Dlo over Conley , picking guys he could let go this summer but then deciding he wouldn’t do that when most of them were benched when needed ( even Rui was unplayable vs gsw despite scoring at a high rate n outkier shooting). Despite Rui outkier shooting his playoff epm n raptors were barely neutral .
I remember being disagreed with eksewhere when I said both the Rui n vando deals seemed rich. And I’d only of done them had I seen outlier lvl growth from both. But realistically players don’t change that fast n at that age. Rui was a losing player that Washington benched n got rid off for seconds for a reason. The idea of Rui has always far exceeded reality and it’s just further confirmation to me that Bron decided to hitch his last years to an incompetent GM. I don’t pretend to be an expert but god damn man. He’s supposed to have way more access to info than I do, Rui getting 17m when that’s quality starter money is just ridiculous. For a guy who loses minutes to kuzma wizards rookies n cam reddish . I could n have written of his many flaws but his size n kinda shooting makes casuals think Ham is at fault for not playing Rui more
Vando was even worse , lots of buzz on dumbasss social media that if he just developed a corner three he’d be amazing : but an outlier jump
In vsndo offensive shooting ( like top 1-2% outcome) is him shooting n finishing like Westbrook in 22. I remember cranjis pointed that out. There’s a reason Denver n minny who had spacing bigs who didn’t need to get to the rim quite as much as AD or Bron
Both moved on from him. There’s a reason wizards gave Rui 4 years n all the tools he had n potential amounted to ****. You can’t even trade vando now it’s hilarious, I’m torn between the greatness of Bron n AD and the awful GM n not heavy spending ownership because the latter do not deserve the former or winning . Vando is so bad offensively it hurts everytime there should be an easy layup or dunk it’s flubbed. How can he so be co ordinated on defence ( when healthy ) n rebounding n so awful offensively? It’s impressive that Pelinka extended him with no thought . I honestly dislike that Ham is the current scape goat amongst most fans when he hasn’t been perfect but his moves in the playoffs n IST make me feel he’s atleast average . I’m over here praying wood can step up because honestly one of the current guys has to because we can only afford 1-1.5 moves n this GM doesn’t want to do much .
Outside those two and injuries to Gabe etc ( Rui is injury prone too so I don’t count that as bad luck ) Reaves, Christie , jhs not reaching the optimistic end of their estimated play this year hurt this team. Picks 18,19,20 all would’ve played for us and helped. Picks 10,12,14,16 all being good players to stings . It seems lakers don’t prioritise picks with frps of guys who could help the current team.
But, the recipe should still be surround Lebron with shooters. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand this.
